


What Is Life But Death Pending

by ThatPianoGirl



Category: Vampyr (Video Game)
Genre: Edgar Swansea - Freeform, Elisabeth Ashbury - Freeform, F/M, Human Geoffrey McCullum, Jonathan Reid - Freeform, Non-Consensual Blood Drinking, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Original Female Character - Freeform, Original Male Character - Freeform, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-06-09 19:42:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19482697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatPianoGirl/pseuds/ThatPianoGirl
Summary: Being a Shadow of Limbo means that you’re stuck between Life and Death. You’re not a human. You’re not a vampire. Chosen at birth, Emmalynn Bates will struggle between accepting her fate of becoming a Shadow or accepting the help of Dr. Jonathan Reid and Geoffrey McCullum.





	1. God Forsaken Hospital

**Author's Note:**

> I am so very sorry if this isn't that great. I have never written a fan fiction before and I hope that you guys will like it!

Breathing in the cold crisp air of London, Emmalynn walked alongside her brother as light snowflakes began to dance throughout the night. She was looking down at her feet as she walked, her brother’s arm wrapped around her shoulders.

_I really do not understand as to why I am being forced to go to the very place that mother died. If they could not figure out what was wrong with her, how would they even figure me out._ She sighed, looking up at her brother.

“Jamie, I really do not see why you are forcing me to go to that God forsaken place. Those doctors let mother die without a care in the world.” She could not stand the idea of having to face them. She feels as though she might slap one of them if they even touched her.

“Emmalynn, you have not eaten in days and you have refused to help father out at the store. This is not like you and I am beginning to worry…” Worry was an understatement. Jamie has never seen his little sister act this way. She was always so full of light and joy, always wanting to help everyone she could. After the death of their mother, she became a completely different person. She hardly left her room at all, consuming herself in her stories. She refused to eat, even when he would bring her a tray of her favorite tea and biscuits. He was beyond worried. He was terrified that he would lose her. When he was able to get her to talk, it was always about how she hated being on this Earth without their mother. She expressed that if they wanted her to be happy, they would let her go. Emmalynn didn’t reply until they came up to the gates of Pembroke Hospital. She came to a stop, staring up at the hospital. She attempted to swallow her anger…fear? Jamie gently pushed her to encourage her to keep walking.

_I do not think I can handle this…I’ll end up dead by the end of the night. Not like it would be a bad thing…I would get to be with mother again._

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. Jamie walked her right up to the nurses’ station, looking around to see if there was a nurse anywhere in sight. Coming around the corner, an elderly looking nurse was looking down at a clipboard.

“Excuse me ma’am.” Jamie spoke up, hoping to grab her attention. The nurse looked up from her clipboard, stopping for a second and taking a look at the two. Jamie, dressed in a plain white button up shirt and black pants, towered over his shaking sister. Emmalynn, still dressed in her nightgown and huddled in an oversized jacket, glanced suspiciously towards the nurse.

“Good evening you two. Are you here to be seen by a doctor? It might take a while as we are pretty busy.” When Jamie nodded and explained the situation, the nurse leads them to a private room, asking Emmalynn to sit on the bed and to remove her jacket. She refused. Frowning, the nurse grabbed a clipboard and began to ask a few basic questions. “I am Nurse Branagan and I just need to ask a few questions to help us out. Would that be ok, dear?” When Emmalynn didn’t say anything, Jamie spoke up.

“Yes, ma’am. We will answer your questions.” He said as he motioned for his sister to sit on the bed. Again, she refused. She preferred to stand in the corner, away from the nurse. _Why do they want to know who I am when all they are going to do is throw me in a mass grave in the end anyways? Maybe if I just stand here and stay quiet, the nurse will just give up and leave, then brother will have no choice but to take me back home._

“What is your name Miss and how old are you?” After a moment of silence, Jamie gave a frustrated sigh and spoke for her.

“Her name is Emmalynn Bates, 16, born December 17th, 1902.” Nurse Branagan wrote down the information quickly then looked up at Emmalynn.

“My dear, I understand being in a hospital during this terrible epidemic can be frightening but I do need you to speak so that we can help you.” With a small smile, Nurse Branagan walked over to the bed and placed the clipboard on the end of it. Emmalynn watched her every move, finally speaking up when the nurse placed her hand on the doorknob to leave.

“You want me to speak? Fine. I will speak. I do not trust any of you in this hospital and I refuse to be a patient here just to sit by a wait for my death.” Watching the nurse frown, she gave a small smile, but it quickly vanished when her brother walked over to her and grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look up into his eyes.

“Emmalynn, I will not stand ideally by as you talk to the nurses and doctors here like that. You will stay here. You will be polite, and you will get the help you need whether you like it or not.” When all he got a was defiant glare, he sighed and let go of her shoulders. He gave her one more sad look before he walked over to the nurse and asked if they could step out into the hall to talk for a moment. The nurse agreed and once they left, Emmalynn relaxed a little bit. Looking around the room, she noticed the two windows.

_I wonder if they lock these. It is a hospital, so they may for safety reasons…but also…isn’t fresh air supposed to be good for any healing or recovering processes?_ She walked over to one of the windows and attempted to push it open. After a few tries, she walked quickly over to the other, but it ended with the same results. She turned around quickly as she heard the door open and Nurse Branagan and Jamie walked in. She glared at the nurse, but her eyes widened when she spotted a syringe in the nurse’s hand.

“Emmalynn…the nurse and I talked…” He took a deep breath before continuing, knowing she was going to be either angry or terribly frightened. “…we believe that maybe giving you some medicine will help you relax a bit.” Jamie took a single step towards his little sister, hands up in front of him as a sign of peaceful intentions. Emmalynn just shook her head slowly, backing up against one of the walls. She couldn’t believe her brother was doing this. He betrayed her. She wasn’t about to be stabbed with a needle by the she-devil.

_I am sorry Jamie…please understand and do not hate me for this…_ As soon as her brother got right in front of her, she stepped back and kicked him right in the groin. Jamie groaned, doubled over, and fell to the floor. Before Nurse Branagan could react, Emmalynn rushed past her, shoving her up into the bookcase nearby. As she ran down the hall, she heard Nurse Branagan yell for immediate assistance in trying to stop Emmalynn from leaving the hospital. Emmalynn continued to run, dodging a patient here and there. Her heart raced with joy as she saw the entrance, but it quickly turned to panic as she saw another nurse and a doctor standing there with their hands up, telling her that it was ok and that they were only there to help her.

_Like hell I will believe that…I will not openly walk into the arms of death._

She quickly turned around, spotting the stairs, and ran up them while hugging her brother’s jacket close to her. As she got to the top of the stairs, she placed her hands on her knees to catch her breathe. She turned around, placing a hand on the railing and bent over it slightly.

_Perhaps they didn’t think I would run upstairs to escape…shoot how can I escape from up here…_

She stepped back from the railing and went to turn around, only finding her path blocked. She tensed up a bit as she looked up into the blue eyes of the man blocking her. _Man this guy is tall…taller than father even. And why is he dressed as if he is going to one of those fancy meetings they hold over on the West End that father gets invited to on occasion?_

Everything inside her is screaming for her to move. To shove past him and quickly find a way out of this nightmare and go back home…but those eyes. She just couldn’t look away from them. The man knelt down so that he was closer to her height.

_I may be short for my age but I am not a child. He does not have to kneel down to talk to…wait a minute! I am supposed to be escaping!_ As she went to side step around him, he gently reached out and placed a hand on her arm, pulling her back in front of him. Her heart was racing. She felt trapped and she freaks out when she is trapped. “Let go of me! I refuse to just lay down and die here by your hand!” She struggled but the hands held her firmly in place.

“Emmalynn, please calm down. I am Dr. Jonathan Reid and I just want to help you but in order for me to do so, you need to calm down and come with me back to your room.” His voice was full of concern, but he knew he would have to do what needed to be done if he couldn’t talk her into going back. She continued to struggle in his grasp. “I know you are afraid. It’s ok to be afraid but you cannot assault the staff here because you are afraid.” She stopped struggling at that and looked him dead in the eyes, tears building up in her own.

“I am not afraid, and I do not wish to be forced to stay in this God forsaken place. So what if I shoved Nurse Branagan into the bookshelf. She was going to stab me with a needle and drug me! She even turned my own brother against me!” By now, the tears were falling down her cheeks. “You guys killed my mother and just threw her into a mass grave as if she was nothing! You guys made me this way! It’s all your fault!” Jonathan frowned at this, slowly reaching up and gently wiping off the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. She flinched but didn’t dare to move. She felt like her strength was slowly fading. Her will to just give up growing stronger. Dr. Reid gently turned her face to look at him. Looking at her with sad eyes, he spoke to her in a smooth calming voice.

_**Just rest for now Emmalynn. I promise, everything will be ok. Just close your eyes and trust me.** _

_What…is happening to me…no…I cannot fall asleep now…I need to.....get out…of here…_ After fighting so hard to keep her eyes open, they finally closed, and she fell into Dr. Reid’s arms. He gently lifted her up, looking down at her sleeping face.

“I am so sorry Emmalynn…please trust me when I tell you that all I want to do is make you feel better.” He sighed as he walked down the stairs, careful not to move her too much for fear of waking her. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, Nurse Branagan ran up to him.

“Oh, thank God you found her. I see you already sedated her so that we can finally put her to bed. Hopefully she will remain calm from here on out.” Jonathan frowned at the nurse.

“Are you alright Nurse Branagan? I hope she didn’t injure you too much…” He knew the nurse was completely fine, other than having a heart that’s beating faster than normal.

“Yes Dr. Reid. Her brother is waiting in her room as well. Poor boy only wanted what was best for his little sister.” They headed to her room together, Jonathan heading into the room after Nurse Branagan opened the door to let him in. Jamie jumped out of his seat. Dr. Reid noted his quickened heart rate. He must have been completely worried. Jonathan thought. Glancing down once more at Emmalynn, he placed her on her bed, removing her jacket. Only after he placed the blanket over the young girl, did he finally turn to the panicking Jamie.

“Miss Emmalynn needs rest. She has been sedated for her own good as this will help her relax for now. I understand that you know about what is possibly going on with her? If you would be so kind, please explain to me what has got this poor girl so worked up.” Jamie nodded has he sat on the edge of this sister’s bed, looking up into the doctor’s eyes and explaining everything. His fears for her. Her behaviors. Their mother’s death. Her abuse. They talked for a while until Jonathan felt that the sun was about to rise soon. “I thank you for that information. I will talk to her more about it once she awakens. For now, let’s let her sleep. I will have one of the day staff nurses check on her periodically. As for you young man, I suggest you get some sleep as well.”

He walked towards the door, opening it to let the nurse out first and then turned for one more glance at Emmalynn. _Something is off about this girl. I will need to do a thorough check up tomorrow night and take a blood sample. Her blood smelled off…_ When Jonathan picked her up when they were at the top of the stairs, he noticed that her blood had a vampiric smell to it. This raised his curiosity and concern. Was there something they were not telling him? With that thought in the front of his mind, he turned and closed the door.


	2. More Questions Than Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long for me to update :( I had a certification exam that I was studying for but I passed! So time for a new chapter!

_“This is…for me...?” Her mother nodded, smiling, as she handed over the book to the small child. The small child’s eyes widened and hugged the book close to her chest. “Thank you, mommy! I will be sure to take good care of it!” The small child ran upstairs to her brother’s room, barely able to contain her excitement. “Jamie! Look what mommy got me for my birthday!” She held up her very own copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, the biggest smile on her face that her brother has seen in a while._

_“My Emmalynn. My dear sweet Emmalynn.” He placed two fingers under her chin, lifting it up so that she was looking into his eyes. “Why have you not brought the money to me yet?” She shook ever so slightly, her back against the wall. “B-Because…It is wrong to s-steal from mommy and d-daddy. They’ll find out and- “He reached down, anger in his eyes, and tightly grabbed her right wrist, Emmalynn yelped. He dragged her down the hall towards the room. Emmalynn struggled against his hold, begging for him to stop. “P-Please don’t do this! Please let me go!”_

“Please… I don’t want to go back in there…please…” Emmalynn whispered silently in her sleep as Nurse Branagan checked her heart beat. She hesitated for a moment, a frown forming on her face as she noticed her heart rate was slightly elevated. Slowly straightening up, she walked over toward the end of the bed and grabbed the clipboard, adding some notes.

Patient: Emmalynn Bates

Age: 16

Date of Admission: December 3rd, 1918

Reason for Arrival: Brother brought her in. Worried due to signs of patient showing suicidal ideation and change in behavior due to mother’s death.

Notes: Patient attacked nurse and brother when she arrived, refusing treatment. Attempted to run from hospital but was sedated by Dr. Reid. Patient is still asleep but appears to have an elevated heart rate and maybe some nightmares.

Diagnosis: None

Jamie was curled up in one of the chairs that resided in the corner of the room. Exhaustion finally taking over him after being up all night, crying for his little sister. “Poor children. Someone her age shouldn’t have to be having these thoughts and feelings…” Nurse Branagan sighed, walking over to the door to let herself out but jumped when she heard a scream coming from behind her. She turned around quickly to see Emmalynn sitting up in her bed, hands grasping the blanket tightly as she panted. “Oh, my dear, you are finally awake!” Nurse Branagan walked over to her, gently helping her sit up in the bed as Emmalynn glanced around the room. Over in the corner of the room, she sees her brother’s sleeping form. He was curled up in the armchair, resting his head on his arm. “Why don’t we get you something to drink, hm? How about a nice hot cup of tea?” Emmalynn knew it would only make her nauseous and she wasn’t even thirsty, but she forced a smile on her face and nodded, nonetheless. 

“Can I go home today? I am feeling so much better now that I have gotten some sleep. I wouldn’t want to waste Dr. Reid’s time over something that is no longer an issue.” She had hoped that her little ruse would work.

_If they think that I am better, they have to let me go, right? There would be no reason to keep someone who isn’t sick in this place._

Nurse Branagan stood there, pondering for a minute. She noticed that the child’s personality had completely changed since last evening. She was smiling more and seemed less hostile. “Let me check your vital signs and then I will talk to Dr. Reid about it when he starts his shift.” She placed the back of her hand upon Emmalynn’s forehead, noting that there was no fever. She then gently grabbed her wrist, placing two fingers underneath it. “You have no fever and your pulse is pretty healthy at the moment. For now, I will go and get you some tea since Dr. Reid’s shift doesn’t start for another few hours.” The nurse gave her a smile as she walked over to the door and headed out, closing the door behind her. Emmalynn gave a frustrated sigh when the nurse left. She wanted to go home right away, not wait for the doctor to let her go. She turned towards the corner and walked over to her brother. Staring at him, she reached down and poked him on the cheek.

“Jamie…wake up.” When all he did was stir a bit, she pushed his hand from underneath his head. With a start, Jamie woke up, looking around the room quickly. Placing his hand over his heart, taking deep breaths to calm down, he looked up at the smiling Emmalynn. “Welcome to the land of the living, Jamie.” Swallowing his anger, he stood up and walked over to his sister and wrapped his arms around her. Emmalynn stiffened but hugged him back. She had to keep up with her ruse, even if it was with her brother.

“Oh Emmalynn, I missed that laugh so much. I am so sorry that it came down to sedating you but we were so worried about you and-“ Emmalynn looked up into his eyes, smiling. She shook her gently before speaking.

“Jamie, I understand. You were worried about your dear little sister. You had to do what you had to do. I’m not mad.” Her brother looked down in her eyes, trying to find any sign of trickery. The only thing he saw in her eyes was her old self. He hugged tightly, holding her broken pieces together for fear that she may fall apart again. “The nurse said she would talk to the doctor about letting me go home this evening. She seemed pleased as well that I am better too.” As soon as she finished that sentence, Nurse Branagan walked in with the tray of tea and placed it on a small table that resided by the armchair.

“Ah, good afternoon Jamie! It’s a good thing I brought two cups of tea with me. I figured Emmalynn would have woken you up while I was away. I do hope that you like the tea. I was able to get some honey to put in there as well to sweeten it up.” She smiled as she turned towards the siblings. “Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything Miss Bates. Dr. Reid will check on you soon.” With a small nod of her head, she left the room. Jamie walked over to the tea and began to pour some into each cup. As he was preparing the tea for them, Emmalynn walked over to the bookshelf. She frowned when she saw nothing but medical books. She missed her books.

“Here you go Emmalynn.” He said as she handed her the cup. She looked down at it and gently shook her head. If she accepted any food or drinks, her ruse would be up. She knew she wouldn’t be able to stomach it.

“No thanks. I had some earlier when I woke up and you were drooling in your sleep.” She took the cup nonetheless and walked back over to the tray and placed the cup next to the tea pot. This caused Jamie to smile. Even though she was always around, he felt like she was never truly there. Never truly herself.

“That’s fine. More for me then.” He took a sip of his tea and walked over towards the window, opening the curtains. Emmalynn squinted her eyes, raising her hand to block her eyes from the sun. It was way too bright, and she wished he would just leave the curtains closed. Turning back around from the window, he noticed his sister’s discomfort. Maybe the sedative they gave her made her a bit sensitive to the sun? “Are you alright? I can close the curtains back if you wish. They sun is beginning to set, and I thought you would enjoy watching the sunset as we did as kids.” How was she going to play this off? She couldn’t watch the sunset because she couldn’t stand the sun shining in her eyes.

“I think the sedatives they gave me made me sensitive to the sun a bit. It makes me a bit sad actually…” When she looked down at the ground sighing, her brother closed the curtains and walked over to her. He placed his fingers under her chin to make her look up at him.

“Hey, no sighing and no frowning. Why don’t we see if we can walk around the hospital for a bit, stretch our legs out?” She smiled and nodded, watching him walk over the door to go and find a nurse. After a few minutes of Emmalynn laying on the bed with her feet hanging over the edge, Jamie came back into the room. He had a big smile on his face and waved his hand as a sign to follow him. Walking out of her room and into the hall caused her to grab ahold of Jamie’s arm and pull herself close to him. Everyone they walked past was groaning in pain from either injuries or from the influenza.

_Is this what happened to mother? She was just left on a bed in the middle of the hallway, surrounded by sick people until they had forgotten her in this chaos?_

Emmalynn let go of Jamie’s arm and pressed herself against a wall as a nurse ran in between the two, carrying what looked like a tray of medicine. Emmalynn crinkled her nose up at the thought that someone else was going to be sedated against their will. Noticing his sister’s expression, he reached over and grabbed her hand as they continued to walk down the hall until they came to the front entrance. She stopped suddenly, her brother stumbling a bit as he came to an abrupt halt. He glanced down at his sister. She glanced back, then to the doors, then back at him. Shaking his head, he gently tugged on her arm to get her to walk again. “I am sorry Emmalynn, you aren’t leaving until Dr. Reid releases you.” It pained him to see his sister in a place that she absolutely dreaded but he knew she needed help, one way or another. She sighed dramatically as she allowed her brother to drag her along. As they rounded a corner, they ran into someone. “I am so sor- “

“Watch where you are going, Mortal!” Jamie had a look of confusion on his face while Emmalynn just stared at the woman. “You never know what darkness lies around the corner. They could grab you and drain you dry without the blink of an eye!” The woman bent down slightly so that she was gazing in Emmalynn’s eyes. “Speaking of draining dry…the thirst. The thirst is becoming unbearable. You understand, don’t you? You mustn’t be afraid.” Jamie pushed Emmalynn behind his back, the woman quickly standing up to look into his eyes.

“We will be going. It was uh…nice to meet you.” He bowed his head ever so slightly as he side stepped back around the corner. Glancing over his shoulder, he was relieved that she hadn’t followed.

“Mental, that one. Who does she think she is? Dracula?” Emmalynn couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of the woman sprouting wings and flying around the hospital, begging for blood from anything that moved. “Clearly she belongs locked away somewhere.”

“Emmalynn! Be more respectful! She could really be suffering from something!” When Jamie scolded her, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat apologetic. However, that quickly went away when they stopped at the bottom of the main staircase. The very stairs she used to try and escape before being caught by Dr. Reid. She let go of her brother’s hand, slowly walking up the stairs. Jamie hesitated for a moment, looking around for a nurse. When he noticed none were around, he followed his sister up the stairs. Arriving at the top of the stairs, she looked around. She felt a hand on her shoulder and tensed a bit until she glanced up behind her and saw that it was just Jamie. “We shouldn’t be up here. I don’t feel like getting in trouble with the doctors because you-Emmalynn, come back!” He quietly shouted as she began to walk towards one of the rooms. Noting a plaque on the side of the door, she rubbed her hand over it. She stilled when she heard voices coming from the other side of the door. Looking over to her brother when he walked towards her, she placed a finger over her lips, telling him to be quiet. Jamie’s face showed her that he was tired of her games, but she didn’t want to leave quiet yet. Her curiosity got the best of her and she wanted to know what they were talking about. She was the definition of “curiosity killed the cat”. Placing an ear to the door, she closed her eyes to concentrate.

“You’ve set the table for a snake, and you wonder why there is venom in your food.” _An Irish accent? I wonder if he is from around here. Either way, he seems pretty upset about something._

“I’m growing tired of your song. You’re a woodsman, McCullum, not a doctor. Return to your hunt.” She tilted her head and looked over at Jamie, who was now leaning up against the wall beside her. He was looking around, tensed and making sure no one was coming. He was worried that if they got caught sneaking around up here, they would get kicked out. Hearing footsteps nearing the door, Emmalynn panicked and backed up quickly. She grabbed Jamie’s arm and pushed him towards the stair case as the door opened. She whispered for Jamie to go faster, her voice raising in pitch a tad bit from the nervousness of being caught. When McCullum opened the door, he turned back towards Dr. Swansea and Dr. Reid with a sneer on his face.

“Would you look at that. Who would have thought the leech would have some secret admires! It would seem that you have more on your plate than venom, Dr. Swansea.” Without explaining any further, McCullum walked out of the office and shut the door. Dr. Reid and Dr. Swansea looked at each other confused at first but then Jonathan slowly realized what he meant. He had thought the heartbeats he heard belonged to Edgar and McCullum. Had they heard the entire conversation? If so, he doubted they would understand what was meant by “leech”. Either way, he had to find them and mesmerize them to forget they ever heard anything just to be safe. Edgar’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“Nonsense. Who would even think about eavesdropping? It’s just rude. Don’t stress over it Jonathan. I’m positive this will blow over in their minds quickly.” Edgar went back to looking at some papers on his desk. “Besides, it’s a pretty thick door. I doubt they truly even heard…Jonathan?” When Edgar had looked back up, the doctor was gone. With a sigh, Edgar just shook his head. “Why is it so hard to get these people to listen to me…”

Catching their breath, Emmalynn and Jamie closed the door to their room. Once they were in private, Jamie walked over to her, grabbed her arms, and shook her a bit. “Are you trying to get us kicked out?! I am trying my hardest to make sure you get help just so you can go back to how you were and it’s like you’re trying to get us kicked out of this place!” Emmalynn yanked her arms out of his grasp, stepping back a bit.

_Way to go Emmalynn. How am I to keep up my ruse in this situation? Do I just smile and... apologize? Would that be suspicious? He is so desperate to get his little sister back to normal that maybe he will believe it...?_

“I am sorry, Jamie. You know how I always get curious. I shouldn’t have done something so reckless…especially dragging you with me. Please forgive me!” She looked up at him, willing him to look into her eyes and hopefully buy her ruse. After what felt like a lifetime of waiting, Jamie sighed and nodded. He knew she was always curious. Always has been. Always will be. It was just another sign to him that she may have returned to her old self. A knock at the door and their guilty conscious minds caused them to jump. A second later, in walked Dr. Reid, carrying a small wooden box with him. Curiosity struck Emmalynn’s mind again as she wanted to know what was in the box.

“Good evening Jamie. Emmalynn.” The two glanced at each other as Dr. Reid placed the small box onto the small table. “I came to check up on you Emmalynn. The Nurse explained to me that you said you were feeling much better today.” He turned to face her. His eyes felt like he was looking right through her and it made her even more paranoid. “She also had mentioned that your vitals were excellent. If you could, please sit on the bed for me as I would like to examine you.”

_Keep it up. This is your chance! He could let you go right now; you just have to play along for a little while longer._

She smiled as she nodded and walked over to the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed, her legs hanging off the side while Jamie walked over to the chair after grabbing a cup of tea. Satisfied that they were both seated, Jonathan turned back to the box and opened it. Turning to look behind her, Emmalynn was curious as to what he could be getting from the box. That curiosity turned to fear as she saw the needle in his hand when he turned back to look at her. Not about to let him knock her out again, she jumped off of the bed and backed up a bit. Dr. Reid paused, raising an eyebrow. He slowly lifted up his hands, a sign that he had no intentions of hurting her as he spoke. “I can assure you that I am not here to harm you or to put you back to sleep. I would just like to draw a blood sample if you wouldn’t mind. It will help me get a better understanding as to what is going on. Now, would you kindly sit back on the bed for me?” She could hear the authority in his voice, almost feel a slight tug in her mind that encouraged her to listen. Emmalynn hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding. She glanced over at Jamie, who was smiling at her in encouragement, as she sat back on the bed. Jonathan gave her a soft smile as he closed the distance between them. Feeling her heart rate pick up once more as he gently grabbed her arm, he thought that a distraction might help. As he began to wrap a leather strap above her elbow he asked, “I heard you two went on a walk today to explore the hospital. I hope that getting out of this room helped your mood. It can be a bit draining to one’s emotions being stuck in a room constantly.” As he tapped two fingers on the inside of her elbow to find his entry point, Jamie choked on a bit of tea. Glancing up alarmed, Jonathan went to ask how he was until Jamie coughed one last time as he shook his head.

“I’m fine, Dr. Reid. The tea just went down the wrong pipe.” Jamie let out a nervous laugh as he continued. “The walk was pretty enjoyable. It helped cheer Emmalynn up, which was why I asked Nurse Branagan in the first place.” He glanced over at Emmalynn who watched him with slightly wide eyes, wondering if they had been caught. Jonathan hummed as he glanced back to her arm. Finding the vein he needed, he placed the needle to her skin.

“This may pinch a little bit. Just try to hold still for me.” As Dr. Reid gently pressed the needle into her arm, Emmalynn squeezed her eyes shut. She hated anything to do with needles. How they always gleamed at her, threating to stab her and either drain her of her life force or inject her with drugs. If she could, she would throw them in one big pile, catch them on fire, and watch them burn. When she felt the needle be removed from her arm, she let out a breath that she didn’t even know she was holding. “See? It wasn’t that bad, was it? Now, would you please hold this cott- ” He froze when he went to place the cotton ball over the injection site. It was gone. There was no trace that he had done anything to her. He looked up into her eyes curiously. She swallowed instinctively at his gaze. Jamie, slowly putting his tea cup on the table, stood up and was about to walk over to them when Dr. Reid spoke up, his gaze never leaving her eyes. “Jamie, could you please give Emmalynn and I a moment? There is something that I would like to discuss with her, privately.” Jamie was hesitant until he saw his sister look over at him and gave him a slight nod.

“Of course. I should be heading home anyways to check up on father. Be good for once while I am gone, would you.” With a small mischievous smile spreading across her face, she said, “Always am.” With that lie, he just rolled his eyes, bid Dr. Reid farewell, and walked out the room. Once the door was closed, Jonathan stood up and walked over to the box to place the blood sample back in it. He was going to study it later to see if his suspicions, unfortunately, were correct. Once the needle was where it should be, he walked over to the chair and sat in it, crossing one ankle over the other. Once he sat in the chair, Emmalynn turned to lean up against the headboard. This was her chance to ask him to let her go home. She just hoped he believed her.

“So, Dr. Reid, I am feeling a lot better now. I have been drinking the tea Miss Branagan brought. It was very delicious by the way, so please give her my compliments. Also, walking around with Jamie today helped immensely with my mood! It was so nice to see the staff working hard, meeting some patients here, and exploring upst-“ Emmalynn stopped herself quickly and tried to recover herself. “…up the unused halls in the back of the hospital. It’s a bit dusty back there though.” His stare was making her nervous.

_It’s those eyes. Something about those eyes make me nervous…I feel like I need to be careful with my words right now…_

Not letting go of her gaze, he asked, “Tell me, Emmalynn, when was the last time you got hurt?” The question completely threw her off. She was expecting some sort of response to her ruse, not a question. Emmalynn clenched her teeth slightly, an action that didn’t go unnoticed by Jonathan. She hated that question with every fiber of her being. However, she knew she had to answer if she wanted any chance of getting out of this place.

“Last week. I tripped down the stairs in the middle of the night as I headed to sit outside for some fresh air.” She wished he would just stop staring at her. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them.

“How badly did you get hurt?” He still didn’t let go of her gaze, even though he knew she didn’t like it. He could see her heart beginning to race but he needed some answers.

“I didn’t get hurt too badly and the wounds went away after a few minutes.” It was a common thing with her. It always has been, and she knows it always will be. He remained silent for a moment, still not letting go of her gaze. She was about to throw the pillow at him if he didn’t stop. She just wanted to go home. Wanted to get away from that gaze of his.

After a few moments, he spoke again. “Has this happened only recently or has it been happening your whole life?” He had more questions than answers and he had no idea as to what could possibly be wrong with her. He sighed when he noticed she was glaring at her. “Miss Bates, I know you want to go home. I can understand that but if you wish to leave, you must be honest with me.” He pushed that last part, hoping it would influence her a bit to tell him what’s going on. She hugged her knees tighter.

 _There’s that push again. In the back of my mind. It’s barely there but I can still feel it_.

It felt weird to her that she felt like she needed to listen to him. To be honest. However, she still had to be careful with what she said. He wouldn’t let her go home if he saw that she was lying the entire time. She just wanted to go home. “Growing up, whenever I got hurt, the pain never lasted long. The wounds went away pretty quickly after the incident. It’s just something that I have dealt with for as long as I can remember.” She paused, fighting back tears as the memories came flooding back. Taking a deep breath, she continued. “No matter how small. No matter how big. The wounds always healed without leaving a mark.” She was in a daze when Jonathan sat on her bed, reaching out a hand towards her cheek. She didn’t break out of her daze until she felt a cool hand on her cheek, wiping a tear away. She hadn’t noticed that she had begun to cry. She had lost all her energy to even keep up with her ruse now. She didn’t even care. She just wanted to go home, grab her book, and run away, never to be found. “Can I go home now?” He wished he could take that fear of being here away. He wished he could just send her home and have her live a happy life, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to do that. He would have to keep her here until he was positive that his suspicions were wrong. He frowned, reaching up and gently pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I am so sorry, Emmalynn. I know how much you want to go home but…” He took a deep breath, “I just need you to hang on just a little bit longer for me.” More tears began to fall as she leaned away from his hand. Placing his hand back in his lap, he thought. Maybe he could do something for her. Something that would cheer her up a bit. “I noticed you keep glancing over at the bookshelf. Do you like to read?” She slowly nodded. “How about this. If you can hang on just a little bit longer, I’ll go and buy you some books to keep in here. You can have any book you want.” At that, she looked up at him, her eyes slightly widened. “Do you think you can do that for me? It’s just a little bit longer. I promise, I will get you home as soon as get you better. Truly better.” She smiled slightly and nodded, wiping the rest of her tears with her hands.

“Can I go with you? To get the books I mean.” She was hoping she could at least go outside and get some fresh air. He shook his head gently but smiled as he stood up. He lifted up the blanket, Emmalynn getting the hint and laying down so that he can cover her up.

“Unfortunately, I can’t allow you to do that. As your doctor, I can’t have you running around out in the cold. You might catch an pneumonia.” After a short pause, he continued. “How about in the morning, you write down a list of books that you would like in your room.” He smiled softly when he saw her try to hide a yawn. Walking over and grabbing the box, he walked towards the door. “For now, try to get some sleep Emmalynn.” When she whispered a quiet “okay”, he bid her goodnight as he turned off her light and quietly shut the door on his way out. After placing the box on the nurses’ station and explaining that it is not to be touched due to it containing blood samples.

He continued to do his rounds for a couple of hours, checking up on patients and treating them for various things. Eventually, he found his way back to his office, box in hand. Placing the box on his desk, he shrugged off his jacket and laid it on his bed. Rolling up his sleeves to his elbows, he grabbed the blood sample and began preparing a slide. He was hoping that this would explain what could be going on. When he looked into the microscope, he saw something that he had never seen before. Her blood was fused with vampire blood, almost as if her body couldn’t decide on what it wanted to be. He leaned back confused, his mind trying to comprehend what he was seeing. Is that even possible? Could the body stop a transformation somehow? While so many questions flood his mind, a sudden thought was pushed to the front. Jamie and Emmalynn. They were the ones that McCullum saw running down the stairs. He was hoping they didn’t hear anything. The last thing he needed were rumors running about the hospital. With a sigh, he added it to his to-do list for later. For now, he was going to see Elisabeth, hoping that she might have some answer as to what is going on with Emmalynn.


	3. The Shadows of Limbo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan finally gets a little bit of information about Emmalynn's condition. Emmalynn, meanwhile, meets the great Geoffrey McCullum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There is a suicide attempt in this chapter. Please please please do not read that section if you are triggered easily. I have drawn a line before and after the section so that you are able to skip it if you wish.

He will never get used it. The damp fur that sometimes gets stuck to his tongue. The small crunch of bones as he bites into the rat. The disgusting blood of vermin that he now relies on in order to sate his thirst. It was better than the alternative. _Despicable. Utterly despicable_. Dropping the corpse of the rat, he wiped the blood from his mouth onto his sleeve as he continued on his way to Lady Ashbury’s. The snowflakes danced around him as they fall to the ground, his mind’s thoughts dancing along with them. _Is she half vampire, half human? If this was the case, which side is more dominate? Is that what her blood is showing? Or was she able to stop the transformation somehow? Is her entire family like that or just her?_ He sighed. He knew he shouldn’t put his time and energy into one single patient. It was unbecoming of a doctor to play favorites among his patients, but he couldn’t help but worry about the girl. Was he worried, or was he more curious about her condition? A screech pierced the silent night. Where there was a skal, there was a high chance that the Guard of Prewin would be there as well. He didn’t have time to deal with this nonsense tonight. With his senses on high alert, her found the quickest way to the Lady’s home while avoiding any fights. Finally coming up to Lady Ashbury’s doorstep, he gave a few quick knocks and waited. Not even 10 seconds later, Elisabeth answered the door.

“Jonathan, my dear. What brings you here at this late hour? You seem quite troubled. Please, come in.” She stepped back, holding the door open so that he could walk through. Walking in, he noticed an armchair by a roaring fire, a cup of tea and a book lying on the table beside it. Shutting the door, Elisabeth placed a hand on his arm and led him to the chair opposite of hers. She sat back in her seat, crossing her legs. “What is it that is on your mind?” She reached over for her cup of tea, holding it up to her nose and enjoyed the aroma.

“I have this patient that was brought in by her brother because he was worried about her change in behavior. Upon her arrival, she had attacked a nurse and tried to run away. When we were able to sedate her and put her to bed, I noticed she had this…vampiric smell to her. Naturally, I took a blood sample from her. When I examined it…it was like her body didn’t know if it wanted to be a vampire or human. Her blood was fused with the blood of a vampire. Have you heard of anything like that? I am at a complete loss.” Elisabeth sat her cup back on the table gently and stood up. She walked towards a bookcase that was a few feet behind her chair. Running her fingers along the spine of the books, she eventually stopped and pulled the book from the shelf.

“I had come across a story during my travels once that had talked about something similar, about this group of people who were trapped between being a human and being a vampire. They were trapped between life and death. They were created by a man named Limbo.” Walking back over to Jonathan, she handed him the book. The book looked old. Ancient even. Running his hand over the cover, his eyes stuck on the title. **The Shadows of Limbo.** Placing her hand gently on his shoulder she said, “Unfortunately, that is all I have for you, my dear. It’s just a myth that was told in Scotland but then again, we are a myth as well.” Jonathan closed the book and placed a hand on hers and stood up. Turning around, he lifted her hand to his lips.

“Thank you, my lady.” Straightening up, he opened the door and walked back out into the snowy night. He was trying to plan out where to go from here. He frowned as he stopped and looked up at the night sky. He was a doctor. He was supposed to diagnose and treat his patients so that they can live healthy lives and yet, he can’t even figure out what was wrong with Emmalynn or what to even do with her. Eventually, she will want answers that he doesn’t have. A bullet lodging itself into the back of his shoulder caused him to break out of his thoughts. Staggering a bit, he placed his hand over his shoulder to put pressure on the wound as he turned around. Standing quite a bit away, were two Prewin Guards. One guard, who looked more seasoned, was standing in front of the other who looked more like a recruit by the way his eyes were wide with fear. Growling a bit, he stood to his full height, digging the bullet out with his fingers as he did so.

“Well if it isn’t the leech doctor. Out hunting for your next victim, are we? Your patients aren’t up to your standards?” The older Guard gave him a look of disgust while the recruit stayed back in silence. Jonathan tossed the bullet to the side, feeling his blood heal him. He was tired of the same old song and dance with these people. He has done nothing to warrant their hatred and violence towards him. Placing the book inside his coat pocket, he stared at the Guard, tilted his head, and then disappeared in a puff of black smoke. The oldest Guard clenched his teeth and looked around for any sign of Jonathan. The recruit slowly backed up until he was against the wall, his heart racing so fast that he thought it would jump out of his chest and run away from him like a frightened rabbit. With a small smirk on his face, Jonathan appeared right behind the seasoned guard and blew in his ear. The man jumped 10 feet in the air and turned around ready to fire when Jonathan lifted him up by his throat and threw him against the wall next to the recruit, knocking him unconscious. He didn’t want to kill these people. He only wanted to incapacitate them. Unfortunately, there were times where he did kill them as a last resort to defend himself. The recruit whimpered and side stepped when he saw his partner fall unconscious. He withdrew his gun with a shaky hand and aimed it towards Jonathan. Jonathan stared at the recruit for a moment before he was right there in front of the young man, taking his gun from his hand. The recruit screamed and slumped down the wall, his legs giving out on him.

“P-Please don’t hurt me! I wasn’t even supposed to be out here tonight! I was just covering for a fellow recruit and…” The recruit trailed off when he saw Jonathan squat down to his eye level. Jonathan closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, relishing in the scent of fear and rushing blood through his veins. The recruit froze in place, thinking that if he didn’t move or breath, the vampire wouldn’t notice him anymore.

“I am tired of dancing with you guys already. I have done nothing wrong. I was simply walking back to the hospital to care for some patients. I was not out hunting for “my next victim”. However, I can change that if you would like. You and your friend here seem pretty eager.” When the recruit quickly shook his head and tried to push himself further into the wall, Jonathan smiled. “I didn’t think so.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small vial of liquid. “Give this to him once he awakens. He will have a pretty bad headache for a while. This should help.” He nodded towards the unconscious man and held out the vial to the recruit. Hesitantly, the recruit reached out and took the vial, hugging it tightly to his chest. Jonathan stood up, looked down once more into the frightened eyes of the young man and continued his walk back to the hospital as the sky slowly began to grow lighter.

Emmalynn squeezed her eyes tighter as a small ray of sunshine shined in her eyes. She groaned as she turned over and covered her head with her blanket. She didn’t feel like getting up, but she had to put her plan into action. Before she had fallen asleep the night before, she was playing out various ways she could escape in her head. She had wanted to keep up a ruse so that they would just release her from this place, but Dr. Reid seemed to be dead set on keeping her here. His eyes that pierced through her soul and his voice that seemed to push her mind gently were becoming too much for her. She was pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to just shove him aside as easily as she did Nurse Branagan. He would probably just look down at her and smirk as she tried pushing a brick wall. Emmalynn, realizing that she couldn’t stay in bed any longer, sat up and threw the blanket aside as she draped her legs off of the side of the bed. Looking out the window with her hand blocking the sun from her eyes, she saw the snowflakes gently dance towards the ground. She glanced around the room, sighing when she noticed that Jamie had taken his jacket with him. Of course he did. She wasn’t supposed to leave here, and he needed his jacket to get home. Placing her feet lightly on the floor, she tip toed to the door and very slightly opened it, wincing at the creak it made. Looking out into the hall, she noticed that there were no nurses. She glanced at the clock on the opposite wall and saw that it was very early in the morning. Closing the door quietly, she walked over to the window and tried pushing it up. Locked. She tried fumbling with the lock until it gave in and the window slightly lifted up. She let out a squeal of excitement but quickly covered her mouth and listened intently to see if there were any footsteps outside in the hall. When there was nothing, she pushed open the window fully, shivering as a small gust of wind blew snow into the room. Squinting her eyes, she looked around outside. It looked like she was behind some of the outside tents. It would be somewhat simple to sneak out, but she would have to be extremely quiet as some nurses were taking care of the patients. Turning her head towards her bed, she saw her blanket partially hanging off the side of it. Smiling with an idea in her head, she walked over to the blanket and draped it over her head and around her shoulders, creating a makeshift jacket. After bending down to find her shoes under her bed, she slipped them on and walked over to the window. Taking a deep breath, she gave a little jump so that she was sitting on the windowsill. With one last look around to make sure the coast was clear, she jumped out of the window and landed on her feet with a slight crunch of the snow beneath them. Tugging the hood of the “jacket” so that it protected her eyes from the sun, so that she didn’t have to squint the entire way home, she began to walk away from the hospital and headed back in the direction of her home.

_Once I am home…What then? Jamie would just bring me back. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to be under supervision or tested on._ She was lost in her thoughts, curling herself more into the blanket. _I can’t go home…Father will send me off to Uncle Jenson’s house…_ A shiver runs down her spine, and it isn’t from the cold. Bad things happen at his house and she would rather die than go back into his home. Turning the corner to her street, her heart began to beat quickly from how anxious she was. Her feet slowly came to a stop without her permission as she stared at her home. The home she grew up in. The home where she had so many fond memories with her family. She should feel warmth at the thought of going home and yet…all she felt was dread. She slowly began to back away from her home, slight tears building up in her eyes. She couldn’t go home. Not when she wanted to be with her mother.

**_You know there is only one way to be with your mother, my little Emmalynn. Let me help you. You’re safe with me, remember?_ **

Her mind began to go blank as it became dead set on one thing and one thing only. She was going to go be with her mother. The one person whom she was happiest with. Who drowned out her fears. Turning away from her home, she began to walk with determination. _Mother, I am coming for you. I will not abandon you as everyone else has. I want to be with you. I want to feel that warmth again. I don’t want to be scared anymore._ She wiped away her tears on her blanket as she continued to walk towards the Thames River. She was afraid of what she was about to do. Afraid for a moment that she wouldn’t get to see her mother after all. Taking a deep breath, she came to the edge of the river that flowed beneath the bridge. She looked around and laying against the wall of the bridge, was a bottle that had been discarded. She hesitated. Unsure and scared.

**_There is nothing to be afraid of Emmalynn. It’s okay to be frightened. I have never steered you wrong, have I? The pain only lasts for a moment but once it is all over with, you will be able to become my lovely Shadow. And once you become my Shadow, you will be able to be with your mother._ **

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

She knew the voice was right. He had helped her throughout her life when she was in pain or frightened. His voice always soothed her, calming her down and giving her the courage she needed to push through the obstacle that she faced. She trusted him, even if she didn’t know his name. Her mind went blank except for the thought of being with her motheronce more. She walked over to the bottle and picked it up, removing the hood of her makeshift jacket. With determination, she swung the bottle against the wall, shattering it. Leaning up against the wall, she slid down to the ground, glass scrapping against the ground as she pushed her feet in front of her. Looking down at the ground to her right, she wrapped her hand around a piece of glass so tightly that it cut into the palm of her hand. Lifting it up slowly and placing it up against her wrist, she closed her eyes. _This pain will be nothing compared to the amount of pain that I have felt when I lost my mother in that god forsaken hospital. I’ll see you soon mother._

She knew her body would heal itself, it always had, but the life threatening traumas tend to heal not as quickly. Over the past few years, Emmalynn had attempted suicide three times. She had listened to the guidance of the voice, it helping her overcome her fear and hesitation. With each attempt, her need to be her with mother grew stronger. With each attempt, her mother was there to guide her to the shadows. However, he brother was always there to catch her before she was able to succeed. This time, he wasn’t around. With a smile on her lips, she pressed the glass hard against her skin, and like a deadly violin, she dragged it across her wrist from one side to the other. She winced a bit but lifted her hand up once more and dragged the glass against the deadly strings of the broken violin. She placed the glass into the other hand and repeated this process until all of the strings on the once beautiful violin snapped and the violin played no more.

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

They say your life flashes before your eyes but all that she saw was her mother faintly kneeling before her, her hands placed on her shoulders. Tears were building up in the corner of Emmalynn’s eyes as she looked at her mother. She was beginning to find it difficult to keep her eyes open. “Mother…You’re really…here. I am so happy to finally see you…again.” Emmalynn gave in and let her eyes close, her breathing slowing down. “He was right…I get to…have you again…” The last thing Emmalynn hears is shouting in the distance and the sound of running footsteps. Her mother disappeared from in front of her as blurry figures appeared in her place. She felt a strong hand land on her shoulder, the figures shouting something that was lost to her as she finally fell into that dark abyss. 

McCullum stared down at the pale fragile body. Two of his guards, that were coming back from a routine patrol, said they had spotted her slumped against the bridge bleeding out. He walked over to her right side and gently lifted up her hand and examined the now bandaged wrist. The bleeding had finally stopped, thanks to the stitching done by their doctor. Placing the hand gently back on the bed, he looked down at his watch. 10 o’clock in the morning. It’s been 4 hours since the guards had brought her to headquarters and she still hasn’t awaken. Other than his knowledge of basic first aid, he didn’t know anything about medical problems. The doctor explained to him that she had lost a lot of blood by the time she was brought back here and that all they were able to do was stitch her up and let her rest. Geoffrey gazed at her sleeping face.

“What, in your life, is so bad that it would cause you to try and kill yourself?” He couldn’t help the anger that was seeping into his voice. He had watched his pa tear his ma’s throat out. He watched as his soon to be mentor killed his pa. He hunted, and killed, his brother with the help of that mentor. He didn’t end his life, no matter how much it had pained him. He leaned up against the wall by the door and thought about what to do with her once she awakens. He could take her to Pembroke, and they can deal with her from there. Maybe he could just…let her go. That thought didn’t settle well with him at all. What if she tried again and succeeded? The blood would be on his hands and he would feel guilty that he didn’t keep her safe somehow. He was brought out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. When he gave the go ahead to enter, the door opened and in walked one of the recruits that had brought her to headquarters. His eyes went straight to the girl, a frown forming on his face. “What do you need, recruit?” McCullum spoke a little more sharply than he wanted to, he was just exhausted at trying to figure out what to do with the problem that was thrown at him. The recruit stiffened a bit but looked to his commander and spoke hesitantly.

“I-I was just wondering h-how she was doing, Mr. McCullum sir.” His voice was shaky, and Geoffrey sighed and stepped away from the wall.

“What is your name, recruit?” Geoffrey couldn’t put a name to the face. He must have been one of the newer recruits and looked to be no more than 18 years old. Geoffrey tried to always have a fresh recruit out on patrol with more seasoned ones so that they are able to watch and learn.

“Ben, sir. Benjamin Grimm…” Ben looked up into his commander’s eyes, straightening up his posture. “I was one of the two that brought her back and I was just checking up on her now that the doctor cleared it…” His voice trailed off as he felt like he was talking too much for his rank. Geoffrey glanced over at the girl once more, then turned to look down into Ben’s widened eyes.

“She’s fine. She just needs to rest. Once she awakens we ca-“ A slight groan from the other side of the room cut him off. He waited a moment and then heard it again, this time accompanied by some mumbling. Ben’s eyes grew wide as he rushed over to Emmalynn’s side before Geoffrey could stop him. The young man knelt by the bed, resting his arms on the side of it. McCullum watched from a distance as the girl opened her eyes and just stared at the young man. After a few seconds, her eyes grew wider as she quickly sat up. Geoffrey just sighed as he walked over towards the bed and stood at the end of it. “You’re ok. You’re safe here.” She was looking at her bandaged wrists, frowning. “Yeah. Two of my guards were out patrolling when they came across you bleeding out. You want to tell me what happened?” Benjamin gently reached over and placed a hand on hers, causing Emmalynn to jump a bit. She looked down at her hand and then at the face of the man who the hand belongs to. When she saw the genuine concern and hope in his eyes, she relaxed and turned back to Geoffrey. When she spoke, her voice was a bit hoarse.

“I um…I wanted to…wait. Who are you exactly to be asking about my life?” She had no idea where she was, and she had no idea who these people were. Had she been kidnapped? If she was kidnapped, why would they bandage her wrists? This place couldn’t be the hospital for the place didn’t look at all like Pembroke did and the men wore uniforms instead of a doctor’s white coat. Her mind was going a million miles an hour and it only came to a stop when the man spoke up.

“I am the one who made sure you had a place to rest and recover after this stupid mess you pulled, but the name is Geoffrey. Geoffrey McCullum and I am the leader of the Guard of Priwen. This here is Benjamin. He is one of the recruits that had brought you back to our headquarters. Now, do you want to explain to me what is going on or do you want me to just throw you into the arms of Pembroke and they can deal with you?” When he mentioned Pembroke, her eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. When she saw a slight smirk forming on his face, she crossed her arms and huffed.

“I…I ran away from Pembroke this morning. I wanted to go home to be with my family, but really dark thoughts began to drown my mind and it just…happened. Purely impulsive.” When Geoffrey narrowed his eyes at her, she decided to add a little more to it and rephrased it. “I ran away from Pembroke because my brother forced me to go and Dr. Reid refused to let me leave until he finished all of his stupid tests. So, I ran away once I woke up.” She saw his face turn to disgust when she mentioned the doctor’s name. “What…Not a fan of doctors either?” He snorted.

“Just that one. The bastard as no right to be a doctor.” He walked over and sat on the bed, opposite of Ben. “You were one of the kids that was eavesdropping on my conversion with Dr. Swansea, yes?” Her face heated up a bit as she turned her gaze from McCullum to Ben’s. His head was tilted, obviously confused as to what was going on. Geoffrey picked up on this confusion and looked over at Ben. “Benjamin, go eat some lunch and go on a supply run with Henry. He’ll watch over you.” Ben, at the sound of his name, stood up quickly and nodded at Geoffrey. He looked down at Emmalynn, gave a quick goodbye and ran out of the room. Emmalynn looked back at Geoffrey and gave a small sigh. She felt better and was ready to get out of here.

“I was tired of sitting in that hospital room, so my brother and I went for a walk. We headed upstairs and noticed there was some chatter coming from one of the rooms. I have quite the curious mind, so I decided to listen in on the conversation. By the way, who is the snake?” Geoffrey stared at her for a moment, a small smirk forming on his lips.

“What do you know about vampires?” He swore to God if she mentions his name… 

“I know about Dracu-“

“That book is a load of bullshit and someone needs to burn every single one of those fucking books.” Emmalynn held her hands up in a “woah you need to calm down” gesture. Geoffrey stood up and paced for a moment by her bed, his eyes never leaving hers.

“I know there is this man that runs around yelling about vampires and another man that says he is a vampire hunter.” She wished he would stop pacing. It was becoming annoying to her.

“Vampires are real. And we, the Guard of Priwen, are protectors of this city. We hunt down every last leech and make sure that they are no longer a threat.” Emmalynn just stared at him for a moment and then busted out laughing. Geoffrey paused his pacing.

“You cannot be serious. Vampires? Real? If they were real, then how come there aren’t drained bodies all over the city? How come they haven’t been noticed by anyone other than you guys?” She wasn’t buying it, but the thought of running around a city, hunting things like in her books, sounded fun to her.

“Some are passed off as victims of the flu. Others simply don’t go out walking around London’s street in the middle of the night during an epidemic.” He resumed his pacing, but at a much slower pace. “You already know a leech as a matter of fact. Our very own Dr. Reid at the Pembroke hospital.” Emmalynn’s eyes widened a bit and gave a small gasp at this new information and she began playing the events of their meetings over and over. “They are creatures of deceit. To the untrained eye, they are just any other human living their life.” Watching Emmalynn’s expression, he tilted his head a moment. “I am sure the leech has persuaded you a bit, making you feel as though you can trust him, open your heart up to him.” She nodded and looked up at the ceiling as she pondered. It made sense to her. The pale skin, the need to always open up to him, causing her to fall asleep without the use of drugs, those eyes that consistently felt like they were piercing into her soul.

“You guys are vampire hunters, correct? May I join? To take on these vampires that kill for fun, and I am sure they leave people without a family, without parents. I have already lost my mother, even though it wasn’t to a vampire, I feel like no one should grow up without their parents or their family.” She felt determined, the adrenaline pumping through her veins. What would her mother think of her? Joining a gang of people who went out into the middle of the night to hunt down supposed mythical creatures.

Geoffrey pondered for a moment. He would have to train her, teach her everything there is to know about vampires. Teach her how to fight and train her mind against mesmerism. He, however, could see that she could be a strong recruit. Not afraid to take risks. He looked into her eyes, his mind made up.

“Welcome to the Guard of Priwen, Emmalynn.”


End file.
